John Giannandrea, former head of AI at Apple, will officially leave the company after April 15. Giannandrea joined Apple in 2018 from Google and previously led Apple Intelligence. However, since March 2025, his responsibilities have been significantly reduced, marking the inevitability of his departure.
The main reason for his departure is related to Apple's unsatisfactory performance in the AI field. Despite significant investment, Apple Intelligence has not met expectations, and the upgraded Siri has faced multiple delays. Additionally, Apple's response in the generative AI space has been inadequate, directly leading to the reduction of Giannandrea's authority.
In December last year, Apple confirmed that Giannandrea would retire in 2026 and assigned his remaining responsibilities to other executives, including software chief Craig Federighi, services chief Eddy Cue, and operations chief Sabih Khan. Since then, Giannandrea has been in a "consultant" status, effectively not participating in the company's operations, but waiting for the expiration of his stock incentive plan.
According to the latest information, Apple's stock vesting date is April 15, and Giannandrea will leave the company at this point. Tech reporter Mark Gurman from Bloomberg predicts that after eight years of turbulent tenure at Apple, Giannandrea may not immediately join another tech company, but instead choose to serve on the boards of some companies or act as a consultant in the startup sector.
Gurman also pointed out potential issues in Apple's hiring and talent management, particularly the internal power structure that makes it difficult for people outside the core circle to drive real change. With Giannandrea's departure, Apple's AI strategy will face new challenges.
Key Points:
🌟 John Giannandrea, former head of AI at Apple, has confirmed he will leave the company after April 15, with his reduced authority now inevitable.
🔧 The reasons for his departure include Apple Intelligence not meeting expectations and repeated delays in the upgrade of Siri, reflecting the company's shortcomings in the generative AI field.
👥 Gurman predicts that Giannandrea may choose to serve as a consultant or on a board, while Apple's AI strategy faces challenges.
